Linda McMahon sent out an agency-wide message on Tuesday, March 4th giving staffers a “final mission” after being sworn in as Secretary of the Department of Education earlier that morning.
McMahon’s message comes a day after the senate confirmed McMahon along party lines, with a 51-45 vote. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, after her confirmation hearing, said, “Under the Biden-Harris administration, the department of Education focused on everything but student success. We need a strong leader at the Department who will get our education system back on track. Secretary McMahon is the right person for the job.”
In her speech to the agency, McMahon said, “This restoration will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the Department. In coming months, we will partner with Congress and other federal agencies to determine the best path forward to fulfill the expectations of the President and the American people. We will eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy so that our colleges, K-12 schools, students, and teachers can innovate and thrive.”
McMahon, 76, also shared her plan to send education “back to the states” citing it as one of President Donald Trump’s campaign promises that she intends to help with. She stated, “Our job is to respect the will of the American people and the President they elected, who has tasked us with accomplishing the elimination of bureaucratic bloat here at the Department of Education—a momentous final mission—quickly and responsibly.”
Since President Trump’s inauguration, several changes have been made to various government departments by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, including the education department with dozens of employees being fired or put on administrative leave. Trump has made his intentions for the education department clear, saying previously, “I told Linda, ‘Linda I hope you do a great job and put yourself out of a job.’”
Prior to her appointment as secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, McMahon served as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration and as President and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
The Department of Education cannot be shut down without Congress.
